Thoughts on Super Junior
by Queen Of Oddness
Summary: For the March K-Pop Giveaway Contest featuring Super Junior
1. Chapter 1

A/N: This is for the March K-Pop Giveaway featuring Super Junior. It's too obnoxiously long to post on Facebook, so... here it is!

**Thoughts on Super Junior**

Part One

Ah... Super Junior. Seems like everyone's been talking about them lately. Frankly, it's understandable. They're funny, good-looking, and sweet- what's not to like? Never mind your usual fangirls (who are, of course, everywhere); I've even seen fan-grandmas cheering excitedly for them. These fifteen guys are just that popular, as we know all too well. They've charmed so many people with their magnetic personalities, capturing hearts as well as imaginations (the rather... um... vividly descriptive fanfictions written about them are proof enough). Their popularity has grown exponentially with each passing year, and seems like it will never stop.

To be completely honest, even though I now adore them, I wasn't always a Super Junior fan. In fact, there was a time not so long ago when I didn't even know anything about Asian pop culture, much less K-pop (kind of a fail for someone who was born in China, don't you think?). I won't go into very much detail about the process of rediscovering my "Asian-ness" (so you don't fall asleep while reading this), but long story short, I somehow got into anime/manga, "discovered" Japanese culture, then decided to explore the Chinese culture that I'd basically forgotten about after I moved to the U.S. at age six.

Nine months ago, I was introduced to the Korean pop culture (or "가요," as I later discovered) when a friend coerced me into watching _Attack on the Flower Boys. _Before seeing the movie, I was completely skeptical about it (it's kind of funny how the title has probably made more than a few first-time viewers cringe). I distinctly remember (now to my eternal embarrassment) even scoffing, "Super Junior? What kind of a band name is _that_?" Of course, this story ends rather predictably: I liked the movie despite my misgivings about the title, became interested in the group some time later, and found myself fascinated by all the aspects of Korean culture. A happy ending to a very promising beginning, wouldn't you agree?

I feel like all these new things I've garnered have made me into a more enlightened person. Of course, Super Junior is one of them. I'm not claiming that this boy band is the sole reason for my intellectual and emotional growth (because, well, the notion that a group of idols I've never met single-handedly transformed my life is a bit ridiculous), but they were definitely a part of it. For starters, even though this isn't exactly life-altering, SuJu has brightened my days with their music. Whenever I hear their songs, I feel happier, and my outlook on life improves. The dedication they put into their music has inspired me to put more passion into my own. Like Henry Lau, I play the violin; I want to defy stereotypes and show the world that classical music doesn't have to be (and in fact isn't) boring.

After hearing the members' personal stories, from Donghae's recollections of his father to Kyuhyun's distressing accident, I've realized that life is too short for us not to seize the day. We should make the most out of what we are given and not take anything for granted, because we never know when they are suddenly going to vanish. Most importantly, Super Junior, one of the various new influences in my life that have resulted from my rediscovery of Asian culture, has helped open my eyes to the world outside the little suburb in which I live. Right now, I'm learning French, Japanese, and Korean as well as further improving my Chinese and English (well, I don't really have a choice about the last one, but still). This will help me see more of the world and experience for myself what I have only read about these past fifteen years. Like the saying goes, information is power, and I definitely want to do something creative and beneficial with the knowledge I gain from these experiences.


	2. Chapter 2

Part Two

So what made me (as well as thousands of other girls) fall in love with SuJu? Let's begin with the most obvious aspects: their looks, voices, and dance skills. This is somewhat shallow, but it's certainly true. They're all somewhere within the range of attractive, they can sing really well, and they seem totally at ease with their (awesome) dancing. I could probably watch videos of them all day long without getting bored. Wait, did I just say that? Oops... Anyways, moving on.

Their personalities are also very important, of course. They're not bland, but they aren't overwhelmingly fake and obnoxiously in-your-face, either. Instead, they seem real, like ordinary guys you can text on a daily basis and hang out with. They are all different from each other, and make no effort to be the same, which I am extremely glad of. (Take Kyuhyun, my bias, for example. Handsome, smart, and extremely witty, he seems like the "boy next door" your average romance novel/drama heroine can't help but fall in love with. The way he interacts with his hyungs makes him all the more adorable. Evil maknae for the win!) Also, I think their attitudes towards their fans is what made me like them the most. Unlike some celebrities (not to mention any names), they seem to adore their fans, and even take the time to reply to their messages. To me, it's a sign of their dedication to their careers. SuJu hwaiting!

Okay, we've established that they're gorgeous, talented, and surprisingly normal. People love them. That's great, right? Well, yes, but I feel like we fans are missing a very important point. Even though I adore and support Super Junior, I think that we need to take a step back, remember why we liked them in the first place, and contemplate our own actions. We still need to remember that they are, after all, still human. I'm sure that each E.L.F. means well and undoubtedly wants the best for their favorite band, but sometimes it seems like everything is blown way out of proportion.

Unsurprisingly, many fangirls seem to think that Super Junior belongs to them. I've lost count of the times I have seen "Oppa, marry me!" or "[insert name here]-oppa is mine!" Apart from being irritating, this is also kind of disturbing. A sign of this supposed "ownership" is the hatred of Girls' Generation. It's not like they're rivals of Super Junior, or anything. We all know that the two groups get along extremely well, so there's really no need for these so-called "anti's." (Is there even anything to hate? I mean, SoShi is practically the female version of SuJu.) There's no law against liking multiple Korean groups, so there's no reason to be "anti-SNSD." I can't claim to speak on behalf of the artists, but I don't think they'd like it, either. Another part of the reason some people dislike SNSD is probably due to jealousy, a ridiculous fear that those girls are going to steal Super Junior away from them. It's actually a feasible idea, but we have to remember that, again, SuJu does not belong to us. They belong to themselves. At least some of the members will probably get married in the future, perhaps even to an SNSD girl. I'd hate to think of the things angry fans would do if they don't come to their senses.

In my opinion, it's a bad idea in general to become too emotionally attached to any and all celebrities, even if they are in an amazing idol group with fifteen wonderful members. After a while, some people start feeling like they know said celebrity personally, and it's rather creepy if not seriously disturbing. (Remember John Hinckley, Jr., Jodie Foster's stalker who shot President Reagan? Yup, definitely disturbing.) They start to spend all their time obsessing about "their oppa," neglecting everything else, all the while forgetting that "their oppa" doesn't even know who they are. The obsession consumes virtually their entire life. I've read stories like this everywhere, and every single one is more tragic than the previous.

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for supporting Super Junior or any other artist, whether it's by attending concerts, buying CDs, etc., but there's a fine line between "fan" and "obsessed." We have to remember that our image of them is our own perception, and probably not what they're actually like. As someone I know once said, "Those guys are way too perfect to be real." Again, I can't claim to know what any of them are thinking, but they'd probably want us to do well in life and offer them encouragement, not constantly stalk them. So why not maintain our adoration/idolization, but still get good grades, get into a good college, and be successful at the same time? It's not like we have to spend all of our time preoccupied by something to like it. After all, the two interests don't conflict unless we want them to. Besides, the "interventions" held by concerned friends and family members are never fun.

In short, I guess I'm just trying to offer a reality check to any fangirl who is reading this. Yes, the members of Super Junior are cute, amusing, and endearing, which can sometimes cause us to be too overwhelming and nauseatingly enthusiastic. But I have to admit, they probably wouldn't be here without our support. So let's continue to offer it to them and watch our favorite boy band flourish. At this moment, this often-repeated phrase comes to mind: Super Junior + E.L.F= One!


End file.
